The Henry Morrison Flagler Museum is located in Palm Beach, Florida, and is dedicated to preserving the Flagler home known as Whitehall. When it was completed in 1902, it was proclaimed more wonderful than any palace in Europe, grander and more magnificent than any other private dwelling in the world.
It was designed by the New York firm of Pottier & Stymus to resemble historic styles such as Louis XIV, Louis XV and the Italian Renaissance.
Whitehall served as Flagler's family home for decades. The building, a gift to Flagler's third wife, Mary Lily Kenan Flagler, served as the couple's winter retreat from 1902 until Henry Flagler's death in 1913. The home featured 75 rooms and 100,000 square feet of living area.
Ornate iron entrance gate at Whitehall |
Here, Flagler entertained the greatest industrialists and thinkers of the Gilded Age, setting the stage to make Palm Beach the destination of world leaders and celebrities for decades to come.
The Flagler mansion was built at a time long before the development of household air conditioning. Because of this, the massive structure and its beautiful contents were subject to the effects of tropical moisture. To fight the humidity, the home was built with a central heating system designed to dry the interior air and reduce the chance of mold.
Today, Whitehall is a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public as the Flagler Museum, featuring guided tours, changing exhibitions, and special programs.
Throughout the year, the Flagler Museum produces exhibitions related to America's Gilded Age, the life of Henry Flagler and the history of Florida.
The Flagler Museum is open year round, Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. The Museum is closed Mondays, and on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
The Museum is located on the corner of Cocoanut Row and Whitehall Way in Palm Beach, Florida.
We have visited the Flagler Museum, and enjoyed learning more about Flagler and the gilded age in which it was constructed.
Exterior view of the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida |
Henry Morrison Flagler Museum One Whitehall way Palm Beach, FL 33480 Phone 561.655.2833 Website of the Henry Flagler Museum |
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Henry Flagler's private railcar in the Flagler Kenan Pavilion |
Interior view of the woodwork in Henry Flagler's private railcar |
View of the Palm Beach skyline from the Flagler Museum |
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